Clutch



T. A. FALL.

CLUTCH.

' I zsHEETs-SHEETZ.

'i THOMAS 'ARTHUR FALL', OF LONDON, ENGLAND;

Application led August 28, 19720,. Serial yfwd-406,53*?.

To all whom t mag/concern.

Be it known -that I, .':THoMAs ARTHUR' FALL, a subject of the King-of lthe UnitedV Kingdom ofl Great Britain and lreland, and residing `at London, England, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in'or Relating to .Clutches, of which the following. is a specification. Y y

This invention Vrelatesl to improvements in clutches and has for its object to p'rovidean radially movable segments into driving engagement with one of the clutch members.

According to another feature of the invention, the radially movable segments` are formed with aplurality of eccentric surfaces overfwhich the wedge members may travel in taking up` or transmitting the drive. Further features will hereinafter` appear. The .invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in vwhich Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal .sections showing two forms of the improved clutch, Fig. 3 being a transverse section `to a slightly different scaletaken on line 3 3' of Fig. 1 and Figs. 4 and 5 being detail views showing one form of disengaging .gear in different positions.

With reference to the drawings, 1 denotes the female clutch member which is formed with a cylindrical flange 2 the inner periphery of r.which maybe suitably curved and forms one clutch surface. The other clutch member which is suitably secured as by is formed as a cage, comprises aboss 5 provided with a plurality Vof radial arms' 6 formed with pockets each'accommodating a train of wedges 9, 10,5the wedges of each train being so arranged that, on axial displacement of a sliding collar 11 or the like on the driving `shaft 4 .operable by clutchoperating mechanismV hereinafter described, the nal wedge 10 of each train is displaced outwardly into contact with a ring 11a' whereby the ring is caused to enter` into frictional engagement with the inner periph'- ery 0f the female clutch member. The final cLUTCE.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patenjd v11, 1922.

lwedge member ofeach train is preferably- `formed ywith al recess 12-entered by a tongue Y 13 projecting frompthefradial arm, the tongue: 13 presentinggone abutment for a compression spring 15 interposed between the tongue 13 serving normally `to retainv the wedge memand the base of the recess and ber 10 in inoperative position. The eXpaI1=v sible .ring 11a4 preferably comprises a pluralityl of segments separated 'by springs 16A and presenting On' their inner surface to the .outwardly moving wedge vmembers a series to the dr1v1ngshaftf4 of surfaces eccentric so that, v.on wear taking place, such wearV is taken: up by the lwedge members Viwhich merely slide over the eccentric surfaceto a greaterv extent beforeftheyfforce the outer surface of the ringagainstthe friction surface of the female clutch member.'` The' outer surfacev of theY ring 11ZLV with metal,- fabric lor like material.

.751. my' be lined.

The three wedges 8, 9,10, of:A each train` may be arranged. sothat'the intermediate wedge 9 presents twoinc'lined faces extending from a; central `pealthe wedge 9 being adapted 't0 be engaged bythe initial wedge S which is depressed bypraXial movement of the sliding collar 11 on 'the 'driving shaft 4 whereby movement is caused in the same direction of the intermediate wedge-9 and Y outward movement of the final wedge-10.

AsshownpinfFig. 2 the rintermediate wedge 9 may present'two inclined surfaces forming la-pocket in which the wedges are movable. The spring 15 serves the same purpose the spring 15 shown in Fig. 1.

The segments 112L may comprise relatively movable 'segmental strips 11", 11C, the eX- ternal stripl 11b being lined with fabricfor example andthe internal strip'being engage# able with the wedges 10,there-being disposed;

Y between, the strips suitablefs'prings such jas means of a key 3 to the driving shaft 4 andLV helical lsprings 162i.l The i adjacent *facesl 17?" and .17h `of the segments 11b and 11c may be arrangedu so as to lie 'substantially radially p 'tiothe driving shaft though not so shown.

ltwill be obvious that `the clutch can beY gine and serving as the driving member the adapted for motor vehicles, the female l clutch member being a flywheel Vkeyed to the crank shaft of an internal combustion en.

boss V5 being'keyed tothe clutch shaft andV 19, pivoted to a rocker 2O rotatable about al l thev rocker over the dead centre.

spindle 22 in such wise that the lever is .locked in gear or out of gear.

The rocker 2O is actuated by a bar Q3 associated with a hand lever 24 with provision for adjustment as at 25, the bar being pivoted to the rocker at a point eccentric to the axis and' being appropriately bent so as to permit the rocker to rock beyond the dead centre and thus to ensure that the rocker 2O will not be restored to initial position for disengagement unless the hand lever is returned vto its first position by moving the striking lever 19 and thus tripping The rocker 20 is in turn connected to the collar 11 by means of the toggle arms 18, 19.

I claim:

1. A clutch comprising a pair of clutch members, one of said members formed with pockets, trains of cooperating wedges carried in said pockets, means for displacing such wedges relatively to one another and radially movable segments engageable with the other clutch member, said segments having eccentric surfaces engageable by one vedge ofeach train, said wedges so arranged that on displacement of one of the wedges of'eacli train another wedge of said train is forced radially outwards whereby to force saidsegments into .engagement with said otherV clutch member.

2.'A clutch comprisinga pair of clutch members, one of said members formed as a cage', a train of three cooperating wedges carried in said cage, an expansible ring engageable `with the other clutch member, and a sliding member slidable axially of said last mentioned clutch member and shaped to contactwith one member of said train, said wedges so arranged that on displacement of said sliding member, one of said wedges is forced radially inwards, an intermediate wedge is forced axially and a final wedge ofl said train is forced radially outwards, whereby to force said expansible ring into engagement with said other clutch member.

3. A clutch comprising a pair of clutch members, one of said members formed as a cage, trains of three cooperating wedges carried in said cage, an expansible ring engageable with the other clutch member, a sliding-'member Vslidable axially of said last mentioned Clutch member and shaped tol con- A tactwith one member vof each of said trains,

said wedges so arranged that on displacement of said sliding member, one of the wecfres of each train is forced inwards, an intermediate wedgeof each train is forced axially, and a final wedge of each train is forced outwards whereby to force said expansible ring into engagement with said other clutch member, and spring means acting counter to said wedges to permit said expansible ring to move out of engagement with said other clutch member.

4. A clutch comprising a pair of clutch members, one of said members formed as a cage, a train of three cooperating wedges carried in said cage, an expansible ring engageable with the other clutch member, and

a sliding member, slidable axially of said last mentioned clutch member and shaped to contact with one member of said train, said Vwedges so arranged that on displacenient of said sliding member, one of said wedges is forced radially inwards, an intermediate wedge'is forced axially and a final' wedge of said train is forced radially outwards, whereby to force said expansible ring into engagement with said other clutch member and spring means acting on said final wedge substantially as and for the pui'- pose set forth. Y

5. A clutch comprising a pair of clutch members, one of said membersrformed as a cage, trains of three cooperating wedges carried in said cage, radially movable segments engageable with the other clutch member, saidsegments having eccentric surfaces engageable by one wedge of each train,

a sliding member sliding axially of said last Y mentioned clutch member and shaped to contact with one member of each of said trains, said wedges so arranged that on displacement of said sliding member, one of the wedges is forced inwards, an intermediate wedge of each train is forced axially, and a final wedge of each train is forced outwards whereby to force one of said segments into engagement with said other clutch member, and spring means acting co'unter to said wedges to permit said segments to move out of engagement with said other clutch mem ber.

In testimony whereofA I have signed my name to this specification in the' presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Y THOMAS ARTHUR FALL.V

lllitnesses HAROLD FAiRwnA'rHnR, MAUD M. MANsFiELD. 

